Appropriate Use for Cell Phones When at Work

Appropriate Use for Cell Phones When at Work

Most work places do not have rules in place for making personal calls or sending texts from your cell phone while on the job. While this can be convenient, it can also create a problem for you if the privilege is taken too frequently or for inappropriate reasons. There are come guidelines for use of cell phones when at work.

Below, some guidelines for your “cell phone at work” policy.

Limit calls to no more than 2 per day, for a few minutes apiece.

It’s understandable that one might be required to take a personal call from time to time, for example to secure a ride home, check up on kids when necessary, and make plans without having to leave your designated post while on the job. However, any phone call that veers into the more casual, conversational realm can be considered inappropriate for work and should be cut short immediately.

Ask permission before making a call or texting.

The best way to keep these things on the up and up is to be a proactive communicator with your boss and coworkers. If, for example, you have to call the father of your kids to make sure he’s available to pick them up after school, then simply convey this to your superiors before going ahead and doing it. Transparency goes a long way in cultivating positive relations at work.

If you’re going to call or text, make sure it’s during a time when nothing important is happening.

For example, if you work at a restaurant, avoid pulling out the phone just as a customer is coming in or during the lunch time rush. If you must text, make it quick, state your business and then put your phone away into your purse or jacket pocket.

Avoid keeping your phone on you.

You won’t be as tempted to check it if it is across the room. Granted, cell phones have become almost an extension of our bodies. This doesn’t mean that we should allow them to take precedence over our lives and our business at work. You’re expected to perform certain responsibilities at your job. If having your cell phone with you is a distraction, then do yourself a favor and put it someplace where you can’t access it.